Trout is quick to erase concerns about weight gain

March 4, 2013

Updated Aug. 21, 2013 1:17 p.m.

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The Angels' Mike Trout runs the bases during Monday's game against the Athletics at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. He turned a single into a double, stole a base and beat out an infield grounder in the game. KEVIN SULLIVAN, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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The Angels' Mike Trout steals second base as Oakland shortstop Jed Lowrie leaps for the throw during Monday's game against the A's in Phoenix. KEVIN SULLIVAN, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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The Angels' Mike Trout is called safe at first as Oakland's Brandon Moss stretches to make the catch during Monday's game against the Athletics in Phoenix. KEVIN SULLIVAN, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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The Angels' Mike Trout runs the bases during Monday's game against the Athletics in Phoenix. KEVIN SULLIVAN, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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The Angels' Mike Trout breaks out of the batter's box and heads to first during Monday's game against the Athletics in Phoenix. KEVIN SULLIVAN, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

The Angels' Mike Trout runs the bases during Monday's game against the Athletics at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. He turned a single into a double, stole a base and beat out an infield grounder in the game. KEVIN SULLIVAN, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

AT A GLANCE

THE GAME: The Angels (1-8-2) gave up six runs in the eighth and lost, 13-5, to the A's in Phoenix.

PITCHING REPORT: LHP Jason Vargas had the best start by an Angel this spring, working two hitless innings. ... RHP Chad Cordero allowed six runs and got only two outs. He has yet to pitch a scoreless inning in three appearances. "As long as he's healthy and his arm rebounds well and maintains his stuff, he's still coming," Mike Scioscia said.

HITTING REPORT: DH Mike Trout (3 for 3) turned a routine single into a double, beat out an infield hit and stole his first base. He is 5 for 12. ... CF Vernon Wells hit his second HR, a three-run shot against Ryan Cook. He is 4 for 11. "Some of the pitches we saw him miss last year he's squaring up right now," Scioscia said.

DEFENSE REPORT: 3B Alberto Callaspo made a leaping snag of a liner. ... 3B Luis Rodriguez made a nice play charging a slow chopper.

UP NEXT: Angels (Tommy Hanson) vs. Reds (Mike Leake), 12:05 p.m. PT

PHOENIX – Before the obsession about Mike Trout's salary or his position, there were the stories about his weight.

Trout may have put that one to rest Monday afternoon.

Trout showed that he's still got plenty of speed, no matter what the scale says.

Facing the A's, Trout dropped an apparent single into right-center but he sped into second with a double. He then went to third on a ground ball to shortstop, racing in to get under the tag. In the fifth, he hit a ground ball to shortstop and beat the throw to first. Trout also stole his first base of the spring.

The eyes of the baseball world were opened when Trout reported to camp 10 pounds heavier than he was at the end of the season. Trout insisted the weight gain was not an issue. He said he'd still play the same type of game, and the weight would melt away during the spring anyway.

So far, that seems to be the case. Not only has Trout already lost a few of those pounds, he demonstrated that the speed is still there. Trout also reached first Sunday when he beat the throw after a strikeout and a passed ball.

"Mike can do it a lot of different ways," Manager Mike Scioscia said. "He's got a lot of different ways to help us, and you saw the speed today."

FIGHT FOR A SPOT

Andrew Romine still seems to have an edge in the race for the backup infield job held the past few years by Maicer Izturis, but a few other players are doing their best to make the decision difficult for the Angels.

Luis Rodriguez is 7 for 17. Brendan Harris is 5 for 15. Both players are journeymen with more than 400 games in the majors. Thomas Field is 4 for 12, and he made a nice diving stop of a ground ball up the middle at shortstop Monday.

Romine, however, still seems to be the leader. The Angels have played two games since Erick Aybar left for the World Baseball Classic, and Romine has started at shortstop in both. He's also already on the 40-man roster, and he's from the Angels farm system. Romine has hit .283 with a .350 on-base percentage the past two years at Triple-A. He's 6 for 18 this spring, including a double on Monday.

"For me to say the job is mine is naïve," Romine said. "I have to go out and win it. ... I feel I'm a big league guy. I can perform up there."

KOBAYASHI RELEASED

The Angels released Japanese right-hander Hiroyuki Kobayashi after just three outings. Kobayashi gave up two runs in four innings in three games.

"We had close to three weeks to assess him and did not see a spot for him as we move forward," General Manager Jerry Dipoto said.

Scioscia said after Kobayashi's outing Sunday that he was not pitching with as much velocity as the Angels had hoped. Scioscia said the Angels had Kobayashi at about 86 mph. and he had thrown 90 mph in Japan.

"The thing about guys that throw the fastball and the split is they are really sensitive to velocity," Scioscia said. "If they are throwing 90-91-92 that's one thing. If they are throwing 86-87 it just doesn't give that dimension of that split finger like it can."

NOTES

Left-hander Sean Burnett said he felt good a day after his first bullpen session since he was shut down because of tightness in his back. Burnett said he threw all of his pitches in a 40-pitch session. Scioscia said he'd need a couple more bullpen sessions before getting into a game. ... Josh Hamilton is scheduled to play the outfield Tuesday for the first time in a week. Hamilton had been limited to DH duty because of "weakness" in his right shoulder. ... The Angels optioned Steven Geltz to Triple-A Salt Lake City.

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